The Sunnova Service Experience: Technology-Driven, People-Powered

houston hometown community hurricane beryl blog mobile image

We're leading the way in service excellence and innovation, here’s how.

When it comes to your home, reliable power isn’t a luxury — it’s essential. And when you invest in solar or batteries to provide that power, after-sale service is critical. Think of it like owning a car: to keep it running smoothly, it needs maintenance, and over time, parts may need to be repaired or replaced. You can also think of it like your home internet: if the Wi-Fi goes down, you want to be able to have it fixed remotely or schedule a service visit. The same goes for solar and battery systems.

When choosing a provider, service and support should be at the top of your list so that you know you have someone you can contact quickly, should you have a problem or simply need to ask a question.

At Sunnova, service isn’t just a core value — it’s a mindset woven into every aspect of what we do. With our 25-year service commitment and energy guarantee* on solar and battery systems, we have a vested interest in ensuring everything runs smoothly, and the power flows as promised.

We’ve helped hundreds of thousands of customers electrify their homes with peace of mind that they are covered for 25 years. We also provide one-time repair services and protection plans to homeowners who have been abandoned by other providers without a service plan.

Read on to learn about Sunnova’s unique and innovative approach to providing a holistic service experience for our customers — before, during and long after the install.

 

Quality Service Starts with Quality Equipment

Our state of the art technology center

We understand that adopting home energy solutions — solar, battery storage, load controllers, standby generators and more — is a big decision. To ensure we’re providing the best equipment that’s been thoroughly tested and vetted, we’ve built the Sunnova Adaptive Technology Center (ATC).

A state-of-the-art facility, the ATC allows us to pilot technology, assess potential partnerships, train our field operations team and conduct workshops for equipment manufacturers, dealers and other partners.

Our in-house engineers test an array of technologies by mimicking different weather conditions, grid events and utility rates, so you can be confident that your system meets the highest performance standards. Sunnova service technicians also use the ATC to troubleshoot issues they encounter in the field in a controlled environment, allowing Sunnova to perform solar maintenance and repairs faster than ever before.

Unveiled in early 2024, the technology center features an area with interchangeable inverter and battery testing beds. This allows our engineers to swap inverter types (string, micro, hybrid) with different battery models from leading manufacturers and perform our own compatibility analyses and performance reviews. Conducting our own in-house testing allows us to deliver customized solutions, backed by the highest standards of quality and excellence.

The ATC also features a customized tiny home equipped with full-size appliances: a range, oven, HVAC system and refrigerator. Mimicking the operation of an average house, this controlled environment demonstrates the reliable performance of the technologies that create the Sunnova Adaptive Home® and their smooth integration with our customer app. By hand-picking services and managing them through our exclusive software, you can enjoy the utmost control over the way your home produces and consumes energy.

Another benefit of the ATC is our ability to test the technologies we want to add to our list of approved vendors. Our engineers can evaluate how this equipment functions in reality and ensure it aligns with Sunnova’s high standards of efficiency and sustainability. By testing both current and prospective technologies, we can help ensure customers get the lasting quality that we stand behind for 25 years.

 

Elevating Service Standards in Sales and Installation

Dealers discussing a system design with cusomers

Your first experience with Sunnova starts the moment you talk with one of our local solar dealers. We work with a select group of dealers and installers, with proven track records of success and expert knowledge of their local markets. And we don’t accept just any dealer into our network.

All prospective dealers are meticulously vetted to determine whether they’d be a good fit. We investigate everything from bankruptcies, criminal backgrounds and licenses to a full year of financials and their policy for addressing and resolving complaints. Once onboarded, our dealers must complete compliance training and sign a code of conduct, agreeing to ethical and operational standards, as well as strict marketing guidelines and compliance with safety and labor laws.

To ensure each install meets our high-quality standards, we developed a proprietary quoting and design tool, Sunnova Catalyst®. Designed to simplify and expedite the sales and installation process, this end-to-end tool lets dealers:

  • Create full system designs within minutes
  • Compare production and pricing estimates based on different scenarios
  • Generate proposals with multiple pricing options and share them with one click
  • Manage and streamline all steps of the installation process

Sunnova Catalyst® also features a Commissioning App, which harnesses AI and our in-house engineering team to review project photos and other documents, ensuring that each installation satisfies our standards of quality.

Unlike lenders and other energy providers, we maintain the highest levels of transparency through diligent quality assurance and strict approvals. Because we service these projects for 25 years, we’re committed to holding our dealers accountable for exemplary workmanship.

 

All Sunnova Solar Service Plans Come with Sunnova Protect®

A family enjoying peace of mind with Sunnova Protect

We want to create a positive experience that ensures you feel valued and satisfied. Not only do we provide the best energy solutions on the market, but we also deliver peace of mind for as long as you’re a Sunnova customer.

How do we accomplish this? By offering the longest available warranty in the industry, we guarantee a 25-year service commitment on all residential solar and solar plus battery systems through our Sunnova Protect® Platinum Plan.

Regardless of which financing option you choose, this comprehensive coverage includes solar and battery monitoring, maintenance, hassle-free repairs, and support from our in-house customer care team and service technicians.

In certain markets and energy plans, our Sunnova Protect® Platinum Plan includes insurance against theft or damage and a production guarantee, meaning if your system fails to produce the amount of energy outlined in your contract, we’ll refund or credit you the difference.*

By resolving any issue in a timely fashion, we demonstrate that Sunnova cares — not just about your properly functioning system, but about saving you money and improving your physical and mental comfort.

 

Improving Service Response through the Sunnova Global Command Center

Teams monitor systems in the Global Command Center

Our team is continuously raising the bar and enhancing our service experience. We have strategically placed our technicians across our service areas to ensure the quickest response possible, minimizing downtime for our customers.

To help achieve our service response goals, we unveiled a cutting-edge global command center in 2022 and made a number of enhancements the following year. The Sunnova Global Command Center (GCC) is a central hub for service and maintenance operations, allowing us to provide advanced system monitoring and rapid troubleshooting to resolve issues faster than ever before.

This state-of-the-art hub allows us to oversee our entire operations and maintenance network with regional pods of 25 to 35 energy service technicians per region.

By providing real-time insights into the complex operations of our different energy systems, our global command center has enabled us to:

  • Reduce service response times and fulfill more work orders each day
  • Expand regionalized support and roll out new training programs
  • Ensure a rapid response to weather-related and unforeseen events
  • Optimize technicians’ schedules, routes and work orders to maximize efficiency
  • Provide repair services for homeowners without warranties

As a result, in 2024, our complaint rate dropped to less than 1 percent — the lowest rate in the last five years and a 70 percent reduction from 2023.*

 

Highly Trained, In-House Field Service Teams

Solar technicians service systems in the field

We want you to feel confident in your choice to adopt clean energy and empowered by doing the right thing — for your household, local community and future generations. But we recognize that technology isn’t perfect; things do go wrong. To resolve issues as quickly as possible, Sunnova has invested in field service teams, dispatched by the GCC.

Many solar companies outsource repairs to a third-party provider that charges the company by the hour and aren’t necessarily incentivized to resolve the issue on the first visit.

Not Sunnova. Our energy service technicians are different; most are full-time employees.

At Sunnova, we’re creating jobs where they didn’t exist before. There’s no solar technician workforce since our energy service competitors don’t offer these professionals. HVAC technicians, plumbing repairmen — all these specialties exist, but not solar. We’ve built our own workforce, uniquely trained, to progress through the ranks from entry-level to expert.

Our program includes rigorous, mandatory training on electrical and solar equipment, as well as safety training that exceeds 200 hours. A highly qualified maintenance and repair crew allows us to serve each customer, no matter what needs arise. In addition to traditional safety and electrical training, Sunnova works closely with manufacturers to ensure our field teams are up to date on the industry’s latest technologies.

We know that customers who feel valued and have positive interactions with our service technicians will spread the word to friends, family and colleagues — and advance the clean energy revolution.

 

The Sunnova App Puts Power in Our Customers’ Hands

Since we select best-in-class manufacturers for different solutions, our customers often have a combination of technologies operating together under the same roof. Instead of needing to open five separate apps to see how your home is performing, you can now use the Sunnova App. By offering insights on your production and consumption — and revealing when, where and how you’re using energy — you can better understand your home energy ecosystem.

The Sunnova App allows you to enjoy greater resiliency by preparing for, adapting to and recovering from both planned and unexpected outages. By ensuring energy is available when you need it most, our app helps minimize the impact of power disruptions.

Customer checking production with the Sunnova App

With energy insights at your fingertips, the app lets you see things like:

  • Current weather status
  • How much solar has saved you over the last 30 days
  • Historical and real-time production data, and how much energy you’re actually consuming
  • A holistic view of your solar and battery performance
  • How much energy it takes to charge your EV

Our app also lets you manage and optimize your energy preferences and take action based on your personalized recommendations. For instance, using data from your utility, we’ll show you the best (and worst) times to pull electricity from the grid, and offer guidance on how to optimize your energy usage. Knowing the ideal windows for charging your battery from the grid or exporting solar energy for the maximum net metering credits can reduce your carbon footprint — and your utility bill.

And, with just a few taps, you can pay your bill, set up AutoPay, view payment history and contact customer service with any questions or concerns.

 

One-Time Solar Repairs & Replacements for Non-Sunnova Systems

As a publicly traded company with more than 438,000 customers nationwide, Sunnova has experienced year-over-year growth of 115%. Soon to be in all 55 states and territories, we have a proven track record of success, and collaborations with names you trust: Home Depot, Lennar Homes and USAA, to name just a few. You can rest assured that we’ll be in business for years to come to ensure you have support for your home energy investment.

But not all solar companies will withstand the test of time. That’s why we offer two options for non-Sunnova customers. Whether your solar installation company went out of business and your system is orphaned, or your manufacturer warranties are nearing an end, we’ve got you covered.

 

icon of house with umbrella over it

Sunnova Protect® Services:
We currently offer two levels of 10-year protection plans for systems less than a decade old: basic and premium. With the basic service, we’ll monitor your system and perform a remote diagnosis via the Sunnova app or customer portal; then you'll be responsible for any repairs. Our premium plan includes monitoring, diagnosis and complete warranty management, meaning we’ll arrange for any equipment returns and replacement parts, and have them installed by a certified technician.

 

Tools   Golden Hour

Sunnova Repair® Services:
If your solar, battery or EV charger is out of warranty or needs a repair not covered by the manufacturer, we offer one-time system repairs. For a diagnostic fee plus the cost of needed materials, our solar technicians with 200+ hours of specialized training will identify the issue, order parts and handle the install. All Sunnova Repair® Services include a one-year workmanship warranty, so your investment will be protected by unparalleled expertise.

 

These services can also be combined for ultimate coverage. If you signed up for the basic Sunnova Protect® Services and needed an on-site repair, you could call us for a one-time fix. If you utilized Sunnova Repair® Services to address an equipment issue and wanted ongoing monitoring and future replacements covered, you could opt for premium Sunnova Protect® Services.

We want to ensure your home energy system is functioning properly and generating the maximum clean energy output, regardless of where you bought it.

 

Service is What Differentiates Sunnova

Twenty years ago, we didn’t know we needed wireless cell phones in our lives. Today, not everyone recognizes the need for solar — but that’s starting to change. While many solar companies are only there for the sale, Sunnova will be with you for the long run. We’re not in the business of selling and leaving; our relationship with you is ongoing.

When you buy a car, there’s the sales department and the service division. If there’s no one available to service your equipment, your vehicle will end up in the junkyard, at your expense. Solar is the same way. We understand that if no one is there to service your system, solar will inevitably fail.

Service is What Differentiates Sunnova

Exemplary service is what’s going to propel the industry and turn first-time solar customers into clean energy champions, embracing new technologies to further reduce costs and carbon impact.

Sunnova is in the midst of a major evolution. Our technology centers, solar workforce, comprehensive protection plans, and repair services are changing the industry — and revolutionizing our commitment to you.

Ready to make the sunshine work for you?

Our ratings speak for themselves.

Top Solar Companies
4.7 Stars

Platinum Solar Award Winner

value Out of 5 Stars

value reviews

 

Best Company
4.7 Stars

value Out of 5 Stars

value reviews

 

Trustpilot
4.5 Stars

value Out of 5 Stars

value reviews

 

energysage
4.5 Stars

value Out of 5 Stars

value reviews

 

 
Get a Free Quote